No festivals for business found preparing food outside

July 25, 2011|By Jared S. Hopkins | Tribune reporter

In the backyard of his business on N. Central Park Ave in Chicago, Peter Matyszewski and his workers are making potato pancakes in the almost 100 degree heat and washing out the buckets in a tub of water. (Nancy Stone/Tribune)

A Logan Square business where food was prepared outside in last week’s heat will be barred from providing food to summer festivals until the city can complete an investigation, health officials said Monday.

Organizers of this weekend’s Taste of Lincoln festival were notified that the vendor permit for Home Bakery and Festivals, 2910 N. Central Park Ave., had been rescinded, said Deputy Health Commissioner Jose Munoz.

Owner Peter Matyszewski had received at least seven permits to serve food at street festivals this year, records show.

“We will work with the owner to complete our investigation as quickly and efficiently as possible but will not rescind our decision until we know that proper food safety/handling precautions are being followed,” Munoz said.

City officials said last week that they would inspect the facility unannounced.

Food must always be prepared in sanitary conditions and handled in areas inspectors have checked, according to the city. Establishments are rarely allowed to prepare food outdoors.

But on three separate occasions in the past month, the Tribune watched workers prepare food in the business’ back yard. Last week, hundreds of eggs sat outside in hot weather, buckets holding food were washed out with hose water and employees mixed batter without hairnets and apparently without gloves on both hands.

The business has drawn complaints and paid fines for health violations in recent years. Reached for comment, Matyszewski – a fixture in the Polish food scene – repeated Monday his assertion that he knows preparing food outdoors is prohibited but it’s easier for his employees and his food is safe. Since 2004, he has been licensed by the city to prepare and cook food that’s later served at street festivals.

Matyszewski said he cleaned up his property after a Tribune interview last week and won’t prepare food outside.

“I am not going any time soon to shred potatoes outside, that’s for sure,” he said.